Lena's Love

Dark Hallway Makeout

My phone buzzes yet again and a smile forms at my lips. I know it is Ajax before I pull my phone out my black jeans pocket, as he is the only one who texts me. He has been rather clinging all week, and Noah and he are now regular visitors at our lunch table. He always sits with us for at least ten minutes before heading to the rowdy lads group to 'keep up appearances'. It feels like now Kat and he are just friends, the floodgates have opened and he's pouring all his attention onto me. We have been texting back and forth about random, silly things, even during chemistry when he is right next to me, sitting a little too close so that our thighs nudge each other.

He has text me around five times to make sure I am coming to his gig at Old Joe's tonight, as Friday has finally rolled round. It's lunch and the cafeteria is as busy as ever, the crowds drawn in with the promise of the Friday special - fish and chips and sugary waffles for dessert. The scent of the sweet, meltable waffles hooks me in by the nose and has me queueing up, squashed against some eighth grader with an odour problem and a tall blonde with a breathing problem whose hot breath keeps expelling down the back of my shirt for the better part of ten minutes.

I know the minute Ajax walks into the airy room, as the girls start giggling and all attention naturally gravitates towards him. He walks confidently with an easy smile, looking like a born rock star with his leather jacket. I eagerly assess his hair as he told me he was having a hair cut last night, and I am pleased that he hasn't cut too much off. I prefer it a little longer so I can run my hands through it. The shorter black strands are neatly slicked back, and he runs his hands through his hair as if he is on a shoot. I catch myself standing and staring dreamily like some lovesick teenager before someone clears their throat behind me, and I turn to see a queue of grotty-faced students looking ticked off behind me. I step forward to close the gap in the queue with a face the colour of red roses.

Ajax was texting me this morning through all my classes, threatening to give us both detentions as my fingers itched to find out what he was saying next. He is not good for my school philosophy of putting my head down and working hard. He did go silent after third period though, so I wonder if he got caught. Unfortunately his silence affected me more then his texting, as I was then left wondering what had happened, and concentrating on feeling the buzz of a new message and not the Pythagoras theorem. Once Doris has finally swiped my items through and holds out a dark, leathery hand from years of sun exposure to collect my money, I hurry back to my table at the back of the canteen. Ajax looks up and smiles once he notices me, and I spot with relief that there is an empty seat next to him. Noah is sat in-between Tiger and Maisie, the later who is whittling on in his ear, and the first sat quietly, stabbing at her food.

Giri has a new girlfriend, Grace, who is incredible at art and photography, and likes to post artsy naked photos of herself on Instagram. He is sat with her away from everyone else, acting like she is the centre of his world, but he will most likely have a new girl next week.

"Hi everyone!" I exclaim with a smile, as I squeeze in between the whitewash wall and my seated friends.

I plop down into the green circle seat next to Ajax, and smile at everyone. There's that static again, that crackling in the air that's always happens whenever the two of us get within a foot of each other. Tiger seems a bit overwrought as her eyes dart around the table and she sits strangely straight. I spy her shoulder nudging Noah's, and their hands disappearing under the long grey table, and come to the conclusion they must be holding hands, if Noah's inextinguishable smirk is anything to go by. How sweet... and risky. They need to tell Maisie soon before it comes out in an uncontrollable manner, and all parties are hurt.

"Hey." Ajax's deep voice in my ear does something to my stomach.

"Hi." I reply a little timidly.